A Closer Look At The Uplace BMC TM01 Bike

You should have seen the faces of the Uplace Pro Triathlon Team athletes when they received their new BMC TM01 time trial bikes. Oh, the excitement. It was like Christmas and their birthday all in one, like a shiny new toy in their hands. Bert Jammaer had his new best friend reside in the living room, displayed like a showcase piece. Until his wife intervened. Bart Aernouts spent many hours exploring his new TM01 with a discerning eye for so much bike beauty. And that was before they had the opportunity to ride it.

Positioning
Steven Jonckheere smiles when he hears these stories. “The TM01 was developed specifically for road chrono cycling and long distance triathlon,” explains the Sports Marketing Manager of BMC Switzerland. “We strived for perfection in all aspects of this bike, including a number of triathlon-specific features. First, the TM01 gives each athlete the opportunity to achieve ideal positioning. The seat post has three different base positions to find the right upper/lower body angle. What is more, the stem consists of a combination of spacers, again allowing each athlete to set the ideal position.”

Aerodynamics
The TM01 is built to provide the smoothest ride. “In time trial and triathlon cycling, maximizing aerodynamics is an absolute requirement. Our goal with the TM01 was to integrate as many features as possible into the frame to reduce air resistance. The back brake is completely integrated into the frame underneath the bottom bracket. The front brake is built into the fork. There are almost no external cables left. Shift and brake cables go directly into the frame. We were able to fully integrate the Di2 battery into the frame above the bottom bracket, which is a first,” says Jonckheere.

Frameset integration is not the only way the TM01 optimizes aerodynamics. “The front surface of the bike is really small to create a lean silhouette. Another special feature is the so-called tripwire structure of the tubes. A slight difference in the surface of the tubes allows the bike to cut through the air cleaner and smoother,” explains Jonckheere. “In short, you get the most complete combination of aerodynamics and power transfer.”